[[Image:ArchOfAthens.jpg|frame|right|His Beatitude Christodoulos of Athens]]__NOTOC__His Beatitude '''Christodoulos (Paraskevaides), Archbishop of Athens and All Greece''' (1939-2008) was the [[primate]] of the [[Church of Greece]] from 1998 until his death in 2008.

[[Image:ArchOfAthens.jpg|frame|right|His Beatitude Christodoulos of Athens]]__NOTOC__His Beatitude '''Christodoulos (Paraskevaides), Archbishop of Athens and All Greece''' (1939-2008) was the [[primate]] of the [[Church of Greece]] from 1998 until his death in 2008.

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Christodoulos was born at Xanthi in 1939. In 1962 he graduated from the School of Law and in 1967 from the School of Theology. In 1961 he was [[ordination|ordained]] [[deacon]], and [[priest]] in 1965. He served as a preacher and senior spiritual father at the church of Assumption of the Virgin Mary at Palaio Phalero for nine years, and, for seven years he served as a Secretary of the [[Holy Synod]]. He took part in many religious missions abroad. He is a Doctor of Theology, he has a degree in French and English, and he also speaks Italian and German. He is the author of many scientific and constructive books. He has been writing articles in religious press and in dailies.

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==Life==

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Christodoulos was born at Xanthi in 1939. In 1962 he graduated from the School of Law and in 1967 from the School of Theology. In 1961 he was [[ordination|ordained]] [[deacon]], and [[priest]] in 1965. He served as a preacher and senior spiritual father at the Church of Assumption of the Virgin Mary at Palaio Phalero for nine years, and, for seven years he served as a Secretary of the [[Holy Synod]]. He took part in many religious missions abroad. He earned a Doctorate of Theology, as well as degrees in French and English, and he also spoke Italian and German. He was the author of many scientific and constructive books. He had written articles in religious press and in dailies.

He was elected [[Metropolitan]] of Demetrias in 1974 and [[Archbishop]] of Athens and all [[Church of Greece|Greece]] in 1998.

He was elected [[Metropolitan]] of Demetrias in 1974 and [[Archbishop]] of Athens and all [[Church of Greece|Greece]] in 1998.

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:"Christodoulos has often stirred controversy with politically tinged statements. He was instrumental in attempts to improve ties with the [[Roman Catholic|Catholic Church]]; in 2001, Christodoulos received in Athens [[Pope]] [[John Paul II]]&mdash;the first pope to visit Greece in nearly 1,300 years&mdash;ignoring loud protests from Orthodox zealots. He followed up last year 2006 with a historic visit to the Vatican, where he and Pope [[Benedict XVI]] signed a joint declaration calling for inter-religious dialogue and restating opposition to [[abortion]] and [[euthanasia]]. In Greece, politicians accused the archbishop of meddling in their affairs, angered by his vocal criticism of everything from [[homosexuality]] and [[w:Globalization|globalization]] to Turkey's efforts to join the European Union and a recent government effort to tone down nationalism in school history books." {{ref|1}}

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:"Christodoulos has often stirred controversy with politically tinged statements. He was instrumental in attempts to improve ties with the [[Roman Catholic|Catholic Church]]; in 2001, Christodoulos received in Athens [[Pope]] [[John Paul II]]&mdash;the first pope to visit Greece in nearly 1,300 years&mdash;ignoring loud protests from Orthodox believers. In 2006, he made a historic visit to the Vatican, where he and Pope [[Benedict XVI]] signed a joint declaration calling for inter-religious dialogue and restating opposition to [[abortion]] and [[euthanasia]]. In Greece, politicians accused the archbishop of meddling in their affairs, and were angered by his vocal criticism of everything from [[homosexuality]] and [[w:Globalization|globalization]] to Turkey's efforts to join the European Union and government efforts to tone down nationalism in school history books." {{ref|1}}

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He was a charismatic leader who engaged the youth of the country and who is also credited with reinvigorating the vast institution of the church in Greece during his tenure.

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He was a charismatic leader who engaged the youth of the country and who was also credited with reinvigorating the vast institution of the church in Greece during his tenure.

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==Death and Burial==

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In June 2007, after undergoing intestinal surgery in Athens the Archbishop was diagnosed with liver and colon cancer. He then waited fifty days in Miami, Florida for a compatible liver to become available. However, the transplant was halted in October 2007 after tumors were found in the archbishop's abdominal cavity. He died from the spread of cancer on [[January 28]], 2008.

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A four-day period of mourning was announced by the government of Greece following his death which included funeral plans befitting a head of state. His funeral was held on [[January 31]], 2008. It was presided over by the Ecumenical Patriarch [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Bartholomew I]], Patriarch [[Theophilus III (Giannopoulos) of Jerusalem|Theophilos III of Jerusalem]], Patriarch [[Theodoros II (Choreftakis) of Alexandria|Theodore II of Alexandria]], Patriarch [[Daniel (Ciobotea) of Romania|Daniel of Romania]], and was also attended by the Archbishop of Cyprus [[Chrysostomos II (Demetriou) of Nea Justiniana|Chrysostomos II]] and the Archbishop of America [[Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America|Demetrios]]. The election of his successor was carried out by the Synod of the Metropolitans of the [[Church of Greece]] on [[February 7]], 2008.

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Despite the criticism, Archbishop Christodoulos proved to be one of the most popular archbishops in Greek history, having a particular rapport with young people.

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In June 2007 the Archbishop was diagnosed with liver and colon cancer after undergoing intestinal surgery in Athens. He then waited fifty days in Miami, Florida for a compatible liver to become available, however the transplant was halted in October 2007 after tumors were found in the archbishop's abdominal cavity. He died from the spread of cancer on [[January 28]], 2008. A four-day period of mourning was announced by the government of Greece following his death including funeral plans befitting a head of state.

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[[Category:Bishops]]

[[Category:Bishops]]

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[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]

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[[Category:Bishops of Demetrias]]

[[Category:Archbishops of Athens]]

[[Category:Archbishops of Athens]]

Revision as of 07:04, February 25, 2012

His Beatitude Christodoulos of Athens

His Beatitude Christodoulos (Paraskevaides), Archbishop of Athens and All Greece (1939-2008) was the primate of the Church of Greece from 1998 until his death in 2008.

Life

Christodoulos was born at Xanthi in 1939. In 1962 he graduated from the School of Law and in 1967 from the School of Theology. In 1961 he was ordaineddeacon, and priest in 1965. He served as a preacher and senior spiritual father at the Church of Assumption of the Virgin Mary at Palaio Phalero for nine years, and, for seven years he served as a Secretary of the Holy Synod. He took part in many religious missions abroad. He earned a Doctorate of Theology, as well as degrees in French and English, and he also spoke Italian and German. He was the author of many scientific and constructive books. He had written articles in religious press and in dailies.

"Christodoulos has often stirred controversy with politically tinged statements. He was instrumental in attempts to improve ties with the Catholic Church; in 2001, Christodoulos received in Athens PopeJohn Paul II—the first pope to visit Greece in nearly 1,300 years—ignoring loud protests from Orthodox believers. In 2006, he made a historic visit to the Vatican, where he and Pope Benedict XVI signed a joint declaration calling for inter-religious dialogue and restating opposition to abortion and euthanasia. In Greece, politicians accused the archbishop of meddling in their affairs, and were angered by his vocal criticism of everything from homosexuality and globalization to Turkey's efforts to join the European Union and government efforts to tone down nationalism in school history books." 1

He was a charismatic leader who engaged the youth of the country and who was also credited with reinvigorating the vast institution of the church in Greece during his tenure.

Death and Burial

In June 2007, after undergoing intestinal surgery in Athens the Archbishop was diagnosed with liver and colon cancer. He then waited fifty days in Miami, Florida for a compatible liver to become available. However, the transplant was halted in October 2007 after tumors were found in the archbishop's abdominal cavity. He died from the spread of cancer on January 28, 2008.